In China, pork is synonymous with meat. So customs authorities are speeding up the procedures and aiming for "zero wait time in and out of the port." The first shipment of chilled pork from Canada was cleared over the weekend. From Vancouver to Shanghai, four containers holding 100 tons of it have traveled across the Pacific, destined for the city at the center of the COVID-19 outbreak.

"To minimize the time it takes from the factory to the dinner table, we provided direct delivery service from Vancouver to Shanghai. The whole process only took a fortnight," said Hu Yuanyuan from COSCO Container Lines Co.

Chilled pork has a much shorter shelf life than frozen or processed meat products. Customs authorities say they have stepped up clearance services and worked around the clock.

Gu Jinyi, deputy director of the Food Security Department at Import and Export of Shanghai Customs District, said they had targeted this batch of pork. "We are making sure it will be immediately available for the Wuhan market. We kept a close eye on the commodities, and carried out a priority plan."

China is the world's top pork consumer. The average Chinese person gets through about 30 kilograms a year. Even during the peak of the outbreak, China continued to buy pork. The situation has not been affected by the disruption of a number of supply chains.

He Mingqi, assistant to a manager at COFCO Meat, said, "We will send this batch of pork to the Wuhan market as soon as possible. Our factory in Wuhan has reopened as well. It will exert itself to produce and ensure sufficient supply to the market."

At the beginning of March, Wuhan rolled out subsidized frozen pork packages, each weighing 2 to 4 kilograms.

The first shipment of chilled pork was sent on its way to Wuhan within 24 hours of its arrival in Shanghai. And more imported pork will be coming every week to satisfy the country's demand and consumers' appetites.